Chapter 125: A Reunion

Zhao Xunzhen watched as her own aura gradually faded, a look of astonishment crossing her face. She spread her arms, examining her body as if unable to believe it, before finally murmuring, "I never imagined this Heavenly Secret Bead would be so miraculous!"

Turning to Liang Yan, she asked tentatively, "This item must have an extraordinary origin, I presume?"

Liang Yan’s expression darkened. He simply shook his head, showing no desire to elaborate. Zhao Xunzhen, being a clever woman, understood the cue and refrained from further questioning.

In the brief time they spoke, Zhao Xunzhen’s aura as a cultivator vanished completely. At that very moment, the flames surrounding them began to crackle and pop. This anomaly did not last long; as if responding to a silent command, the nameless fires slowly receded, eventually clearing a path toward the teleportation array. The blue light barrier that had previously shrouded the array dissipated into thin air.

Liang Yan nodded to Zhao Xunzhen, and together they walked side-by-side onto the teleportation array. As Liang Yan cast a spell, the array erupted with a dazzling white light. Unlike the flash that had seen Yun Xuzi disappear, this white light remained, swirling around Liang Yan and Zhao Xunzhen in mid-air as if conducting a silent inspection.

This lasted for about half an incense stick’s time. Just as Liang Yan and Zhao Xunzhen were beginning to panic, the white light, seemingly unable to detect any discrepancies, finally gave up. A harsh, resounding boom shook the array, and as the white light vanished, the figures of Liang Yan and Zhao Xunzhen disappeared along with it.

...

They arrived in an unknown space.

The place felt like an abyss of hell, surrounded by absolute darkness. Even with the heightened senses of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, one could only perceive a radius of ten feet. Yet, in this pitch-black environment, seven stone pillars stood erect, arranged in the pattern of the Big Dipper. Above each pillar hovered a blue light barrier, emitting a faint, steady glow.

Four figures were currently sitting cross-legged atop four of the pillars. They remained silent, treating each other as if they did not exist, simply closing their eyes to rest.

At that moment, a dazzling white light flashed over the Tianxuan pillar, and two figures emerged. They were a man and a woman: the man, dressed in gray, had sharp, refined features and looked exceptionally handsome; the woman wore simple blue robes, and though she wore no makeup, she was clearly a natural beauty. These two were none other than Liang Yan and Zhao Xunzhen, who had successfully deceived the array and been transported here.

Liang Yan had felt a sense of vertigo during the transit. When his feet finally touched solid ground, he managed to regain his composure and realized they had arrived together. He recognized the cultivators on the other pillars: Yun Xuzi, Qin Yuan, Ji Lai, and the sickly scholar, Li Zheng.

Qin Yuan and Li Zheng frowned when they saw Liang Yan and the woman emerge, appearing quite surprised; they were clearly perplexed that the two had managed to reach this place together. However, maintaining their dignity and unwilling to interrogate a junior in front of others, they merely glanced at them before closing their eyes once more, feigning indifference.

As for Ji Lai, he winked at Liang Yan, casting lewd glances toward Zhao Xunzhen with a teasing expression. Liang Yan, long accustomed to Ji Lai’s antics and well aware of his salacious mind, simply ignored him with a faint smile.

Yet, there was another gaze in the arena he could not ignore: that of the old priest in the soap-colored robe, Yun Xuzi, who had brought him here. Yun Xuzi did not speak but nodded meaningfully. Liang Yan felt a chill, knowing his life was still in the hands of others and the situation remained perilous. He kept his face expressionless, stopped looking around, and sat cross-legged to meditate, centering his focus inward.

Zhao Xunzhen, also sharp-witted, noticed Liang Yan’s reaction. Recalling their first meeting at the tavern, she naturally deduced the relationship between Liang Yan and Yun Xuzi. Without a word, she sat behind him and began to meditate in the same manner.

Silence returned to the space.

Time passed until, suddenly, a white light shimmered on the Yuheng pillar. A man in hempen clothes appeared, looking around with extreme caution and vigilance.

Liang Yan glanced up and recognized the man as Li Huayang, who had been brought there by the Dog Priest. He had a slight impression of Li Huayang; not long ago, at the Pingfeng Mountain auction, this man had spent a staggering 1,600 spirit stones to win a set of Qi Refining sword techniques. At the time, Liang Yan had been preoccupied with the lingering threat left by Blood Madman and had no intention of competing, but his longing for the path of the sword had made him remember the man who won the techniques. "I wonder if he ever managed to obtain those sword techniques after leaving Pingfeng Mountain," Liang Yan mused.

The arrival of the old man in hemp did not cause a stir. Six of the seven pillars were now occupied, with only the Yaoguang pillar remaining vacant. Everyone’s eyes converged on this seventh pillar, seemingly awaiting the final victor.

They did not have to wait long. A dazzling white light flared on the Yaoguang pillar, and under everyone’s gaze, two figures slowly emerged: a woman in palace attire in her twenties and a young girl of about eleven or twelve in pink.

The woman in palace attire scanned the surroundings and smiled gracefully. "Meng Qi is late; I ask my fellow Daoists for forgiveness."

This was clearly addressed to the three Foundation Establishment cultivators present. Yun Xuzi scanned her with a cold, insincere smile. "Fairy Meng’s mystical arts are impressive. What does a short wait matter to us?"

Everyone present began to scrutinize the two women, and even Liang Yan was secretly amazed. He knew he had only managed to sneak Zhao Xunzhen through by relying on the Heavenly Secret Bead. He wondered what means Meng Qi had used to bring the young girl along.

However, before he could dwell on it, shortly after Meng Qi’s appearance, the purple light barriers on the seven pillars began to fade. With a crisp sound, the barriers vanished completely.